Soul Talks with PB

An Identity That Cannot Be Shaken📖 Luke 10:23–24“Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, ‘Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.’”Jesus reminded His disciples how blessed they were to see what prophets longed for. Our greatest blessing is not in external success but in knowing Christ. Our identity in Him is not achieved—it is received. And it cannot be shaken or stolen.👉 Reflection: In what areas of life do you feel insecure or easily shaken? How can anchoring your identity in Christ bring you stability?🙏 Prayer: Jesus, thank You for giving me an identity that cannot be stolen. Teach me to live in the freedom and confidence of being Yours. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Gift of Intimacy📖 Luke 10:21–22“At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, ‘I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.’”📖 John 1:12–13“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”Jesus rejoiced that the Father reveals Himself to those with childlike hearts. Through Christ, we are given the right to become children of God. This is the deepest intimacy we could ever know—being known and loved by the Creator of the universe.👉 Reflection: How does knowing you are God’s beloved child shape the way you see yourself and others?🙏 Prayer: Lord, help me to live out of my identity as Your beloved child. May I experience and share the intimacy of being in Your family. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Security of Heaven📖 Luke 10:20“However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”Jesus redirected His disciples’ joy: not in power, but in the assurance that their names are written in heaven. Our security is not in achievements, relationships, or possessions—it is in knowing that we belong to God forever.👉 Reflection: How does the truth that your name is written in heaven bring you peace and assurance in life’s uncertainties?🙏 Prayer: Father, thank You that my identity and security are safe in You. Teach me to rejoice daily in the assurance of eternal life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

True Victory in Christ📖 Luke 10:18–19“He replied, ‘I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.’”📖 1 John 4:4“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”Jesus told His disciples that they had authority over the enemy because of Him. Our victories are not about our strength but His power. Many try to prove themselves through success, but true victory comes only from Christ who has already overcome.👉 Reflection: What struggles or battles in your life do you need to surrender to Jesus, trusting that He is your victory?🙏 Prayer: Lord Jesus, I rest in Your triumph over sin and darkness. Help me to live each day in the confidence of Your victory. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A Deeper Longing📖 Luke 10:17“The seventy-two returned with joy and said, ‘Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.’”The seventy-two came back rejoicing because of their victory over demons. Yet, Jesus wanted them to see something deeper: their need for Him. Just like them, we often celebrate our accomplishments, possessions, or how others see us. But these things cannot define us. Deep inside, there is a longing that only Jesus can satisfy.👉 Reflection: Where do you often base your sense of worth and identity? How can you begin to shift that foundation toward Christ today?🙏 Prayer: Lord, remind me that my true identity is found only in You, not in what I do or what I have. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trusting the Spirit to Finish the Work📖 Acts 8:39–4039 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. 40 Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea. After the baptism, the Spirit suddenly carried Philip away. The Ethiopian went on his way rejoicing, while Philip continued to preach elsewhere. The Spirit carried on His work in both lives.💡 Reflection: Evangelism is not about control. Our part is obedience; God’s part is transformation. We can trust Him to continue what He begins.🙏 Application/Prayer: Release your burdens for those you’re praying for. Say, “Holy Spirit, I trust You to work in their lives even when I cannot be there. Use me as You will, but finish the work only You can do.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Leading to Genuine Conversion📖 Acts 8:36–3836 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” [37 Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” The eunuch answered, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”] 38 And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him.When the Ethiopian heard the good news, he didn’t just nod politely—he responded. Seeing water, he asked to be baptized. His faith moved from hearing to action.💡 Reflection: True faith always leads to obedience. Our role is to lovingly guide people to take the next step—whether that’s baptism, prayer, or another act of faith.🙏 Application/Prayer: Pray, “Lord, help me not only to share the gospel but also to guide others into real decisions that show their commitment to You.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pointing People to Jesus📖 Acts 8:32–3532 This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 33 In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.” 34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35 Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.💡 Reflection: Evangelism is not about having all the answers. It’s about starting where people are and gently pointing them to Christ. Questions, confusion, and even doubt can all be doorways to the gospel.🙏 Application/Prayer: Think about someone in your life who has questions. Instead of avoiding them, ask God to give you wisdom to connect their story to Jesus’ story. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Looking for an Open Heart📖 Acts 8:29–3129 The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.” 30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. 31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.The Spirit told Philip to go near the chariot. When he did, he found the Ethiopian reading Scripture. The man humbly admitted his need for guidance and invited Philip to sit with him.💡 Reflection: Openness is a sign of God’s work in someone’s heart. Our job is not to force conversations but to recognize and step into the moments when people are ready to listen and learn.🙏 Application/Prayer: Ask God to show you people around you who are open to spiritual conversations. Pray for eyes to see and courage to respond. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Listening to the Spirit’s Guidance📖 Acts 8:26–2826 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. Philip’s journey began when he listened to the Spirit’s leading. He didn’t know exactly why he was being sent to a desert road, but he obeyed. On that road, he encountered an Ethiopian official whose heart God had already been preparing.💡 Reflection: The Spirit is always working ahead of us. When we obey His promptings, we often discover that He has already arranged opportunities for us to share His love.🙏 Application/Prayer: Ask the Lord to make you more sensitive to His gentle nudges today. Pray, “Holy Spirit, help me to listen and obey, even when I don’t understand why.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Suffering for Good, Not for Evil📖 “For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.” — 1 Peter 3:17Reflection:Suffering is part of life, but Peter tells us there’s a difference: it is better to suffer for doing good than for doing wrong. When we choose righteousness even in the face of hardship, we are walking in the footsteps of Christ, who also suffered for doing good.Prayer:“Lord, strengthen me to endure suffering when it comes because of righteousness. Help me to follow Your example in obedience and faith.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sharing with Gentleness and Respect📖 “But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience…” — 1 Peter 3:15b–16aReflection:The way we share the gospel matters as much as the message itself. Harsh or proud words can push people away, but gentleness and respect reflect the character of Christ. When we share humbly, even those who oppose us may be silenced by our good behavior in Christ.Prayer:“Lord, teach me to speak and live out my faith with gentleness and respect. May my life honor You in the eyes of others.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Christ, Our Living Hope📖 “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” — 1 Peter 3:15aReflection:To be ready to answer, we first need to honor Christ as Lord in our hearts. When He rules our hearts, our hope becomes visible to others. Our boldness to share doesn’t come from knowledge alone but from our personal relationship with Jesus, who is our living hope.Prayer:“Jesus, I honor You as Lord of my life. Help me to be ready to share with others the hope that only You can give.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Blessed Even in Suffering📖 “But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. ‘Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.’” — 1 Peter 3:14Reflection:Suffering for doing right is never easy, but Peter calls it a blessing. Why? Because suffering for righteousness shows that we belong to Christ. We don’t need to live in fear of people’s threats, since God Himself is near and His presence is our true blessing.Prayer:“Father, thank You that even in suffering, I am blessed because You are with me. Replace my fear with faith today.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Doing Good with Courage📖 “Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?” — 1 Peter 3:13Reflection:Most people respect those who do good, but sometimes we still face opposition. Peter reminds us that eagerness to do good reflects our trust in God’s will. Even if others don’t appreciate our efforts, we can keep doing good because God sees and rewards.Prayer:“Lord, give me courage to keep doing good even when it’s hard. Let me trust that You see and bless my efforts.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There is always a temptation in any church, and in the Christian life generally, to revert to MTD (Moralistic Therapeutic Deism) over time. That amounts to “dying” in the Christian life. That is why “revival” is integral to our values. We believe in revival—not just occasionally, but continuously, and especially when we are experiencing decline in our relationship with God and others. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fulfill Your AssignmentScripture: Colossians 4:17“See to it that you complete the ministry you have received in the Lord.”Reflection:God has given you an assignment for this season of your life. The question is, will you complete it? Don’t leave your calling on the shelf. Step into it with faith, trusting God to equip you and work through you. The Kingdom is waiting. The field is ready. The Master is calling.Takeaway:Your assignment is your alignment with God’s Kingdom advancement.Prayer:Lord, I want to be faithful to the calling You have given me. Show me my assignment, strengthen me to fulfill it, and use me to advance Your Kingdom. Amen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

God Owns the Place Where We WorkScripture: 1 Corinthians 3:9“For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.”Reflection:The church belongs to God, not to us. We are co-workers in His field, building His house together. This means teamwork and unity are essential. Your role is part of a bigger picture, and together, our assignments help advance God’s mission in the world.Takeaway:We’re not building our own kingdoms; we’re building God’s.Prayer:Lord, keep me humble and teachable. Help me serve in unity with others, remembering this is Your work, Your field, and Your building. Amen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

God Rewards Our WorkScripture: 1 Corinthians 3:8“The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor.”Reflection:No act of service for God goes unnoticed. Even the smallest, quietest act done in faith is seen and valued by Him. You may feel invisible to others, but heaven is keeping the record. And God promises to reward your faithfulness—not necessarily here and now, but certainly in eternity.Takeaway:In God’s Kingdom, no labor is in vain.Prayer:Lord, thank You that my work matters to You. Give me endurance and joy, knowing that You will reward what is done in faith. Amen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

God Determines the ResultsScripture: 1 Corinthians 3:6b–7“…but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.”Reflection:You are called to be faithful, not to control the results. We plant seeds and water them through service, love, and prayer—but only God can make them grow. This truth keeps us humble when things go well and hopeful when we can’t yet see the fruit of our labor.Takeaway:We work the field; God works the miracle.Prayer:Lord, help me trust You with the results of my work. Teach me to be faithful in planting and watering, knowing You bring the growth. Amen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.